PROPER PAMPERING FOR FURRY FLORIDIANS

There goes Phideaux down the street. He is wearing a fashionable sailor hat, sunglasses and four little red boots. At home he eats from a crystal bowl and sleeps in a bed with a satin canopy.

Phideaux is a pampered pet. His owner loves him dearly, values his companionship, gives him lavish presents and thinks of him as almost human.

But pet lovers know there is more to caring for a pet than coddling and gifts. Concerned with health-care trends and their own prospects for a long and healthy life, they want to be sure their pets have the same opportunities.

Pet-related businesses and veterinarians have responded by providing new services and health programs geared to pet comfort, happiness and a longer life.

South Florida pets now have access to dermatologists, plastic surgeons, cardiologists, ophthalmologist, acupuncturists and behavioral counselors. And they can work out with animal aerobics.

This is good news for area cats and dogs facing special health problems because of our subtropical climate, says Dr. L. Wade George, a Fort Lauderdale veterinarian and president of the American Animal Hospital Association.

"The South Florida pet's primary medical problem is year-round fleas," George says. "This is because our weather never stays cold enough long enough to bring relief.

Heartworm, more prevalent here than elsewhere, is the second biggest problem, he says. And, according to a recent survey of Florida veterinarians made by the American Animal Hospital Association, the third biggest problem is the Bufo toad.

Originally imported from South America to eat insects in tomato fields, the Bufo toad's hobby is reproducing. With his numerous progeny, he has hopped out of the tomato fields to take up residence on South Florida lawns.

Now, when pet and toad meet under a bush beside the house and the pet attempts to investigate by mouthing or biting the toad, the result can be instant paralysis brought on by a deadly toxin released from sacs on the toad's neck and above its eyes. Because this toxin can kill a pet the size of a cat in less than an hour, it's vital the pet's mouth be flushed with water immediately. Then the pet should be rushed to a vet, says George.

Other common problems for pets in South Florida are:

(BU) heat stroke, incurred when pets are left in closed cars;

(BU) abandonment by owners;

(BU) accidents with automobiles. "This is because we lack a good leash law," George says.

Not the least of a dog's worries is that "no-pet" rules in condominiums mean man's best friend eventually may be replaced by birds, according to Dr. Gerald Snyder, a Pompano Beach veterinarian who also practices avian medicine.

"Owners here seem more concerned about their pets and more willing to utilize any means to do the best they can for them," says the vet. "This may be because many are retired people who ask more from their animals. They value their companionship and want this relationship to last as long as possible."

Following is a closer look at some of the new projects designed to help make this come to pass.

AEROBICS

Don't laugh. "Pet aerobics is a valid thing -- dogs particularly need special exercise," says George. "This is based on the same principle as applies to human beings. After all, we are all part of the animal kingdom. We know that a person who is sedentary all week puts himself at risk by dashing around a tennis court on weekends.

"The same principle applies to animals, which is why hunters begin conditioning their dogs two months before hunting season opens."

Many animals become neurotic, hyperactive or nervous eaters because of the lack of proper exercise, according to Texas animal trainer Warren Eckstein.

With his wife Fay, Eckstein has written Pet Aerobics (Holt, Rinehart and Winston, $14.95). The book recommends stress-testing pets to determine how much exercise they need and suggests warm-up calisthenics based on test results.

How can animals do these exercises, you ask? With sit-ups, the pet is commanded to stand up, then sit, then stand up. Push-ups and jumping jacks are similar variations on the lying down, sitting and jumping commands.

Dancing is also beneficial and a favorite. "It's incredible how many closet dog dancers there are," Eckstein says. "To do these things you have to motivate your pet to cooperate. You must make the activity fun."

CARDIOPET

Although about 20 percent of all visits to veterinarians involve heart or lung diseases, until recently few vets could afford electrocardiogram equipment to use as a diagnostic tool.

New York veterinary cardiologist Larry Tilley, president of Cardiopet, has changed this.

Five years ago, along with another cardiologist and two hospital administrators, Tilley organized Cardiopet, a system to give EKG tests to animals over the telephone.

The cost depends on how far away the client veterinarian is and usually ranges from $50 to $100.

"It's a wonderful diagnostic tool. Say I have a Florida veterinarian client with a dog in front of him with a heart problem which is an emergency situation. He can attach small wires to the dog's legs which are, in turn, attached to a transmitter which relays the heartbeat via telephone to me in New York. This doesn't hurt the dog at all and while I am looking at the EKG, I am also talking to the vet and we have an opportunity to diagnose the problem on the spot and discuss treatment. If it's a non-emergency situation, we will send a written report to him within two days."

Sometimes the advice from Cardiopet is to give the pet a pacemaker. "Including the medical preliminaries, the surgeons' fee and the cost of the pacemaker, this operation would run about $600 for a dog, whereas the same operation for a human being would run into thousands of dollars.

"We have adapted people technology for animals because the public now demands this of veterinary medicine. Owners want to treat the pet like themselves."

ACUPUNCTURE

Dr. Jack Liggett, a West Palm Beach veterinarian and a pioneer in this field, is one of several Florida animal acupuncturists. There are about 1,000 practicing in the United States.

While less than a decade old in this country, the Chinese have used acupuncture on both humans and animals for more than 4,000 years. Liggett and a few friends were first introduced to animal acupuncture at a lecture given by some Chinese veterinarians who had worked successfully with racehorses in California.

"It seemed to us then like a kind of voodoo procedure," says Liggett. "We found it hard to believe they were getting results."

When it became apparent they were getting results, Liggett took several animal acupuncture courses, including one at the University of Georgia.

"At first I considered it a tool to be used with racehorses which couldn't be treated with drugs. Then I discovered it was useful with dogs and cats, particularly to relieve pain in paralysis, sore backs and arthritis. Generally, patients are referrals. Often they are people willing to try acupuncture after they have unsuccessfully tried everything else.